Kickboxer (46) loses fight for life after 'gangland-style' shooting overnight

14/02/14 Friends leave flowers at the scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin this evening where a man was shot deadin his home last night...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 Friends leave flowers at the scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin this evening where a man was shot deadin his home last night...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 Gardai place flowers left by friends at the scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin this evening where a man was shot deadin his home last night...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The suspected get away car in the Earlsfort Estate, Lucan used in a fatal shooting at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning ..PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The suspected get away car in the Earlsfort Estate, Lucan used in a fatal shooting at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning ..PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The suspected get away carin the Earlsfort Estate, Lucan used in a fatal shooting at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning ..PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 A bullet hole in the front door at the scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning where a man was shot dead last night...PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning where a man was shot dead last night...PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning where a man was shot dead last night...PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning where a man was shot dead last night...PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 A bullet hole in the front door at the scene at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning where a man was shot dead last night...PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The suspected get away car in the Earlsfort Estate, Lucan used in a fatal shooting at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning ..PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.14/02/14 The suspected get away car in the Earlsfort Estate, Lucan used in a fatal shooting at Abbeywood Court, Lucan Co Dublin pictured this morning ..PPicture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.The burnt out car in the Earlsfort estate, Lucan which gardai believe was used in shooting at in Lucan last night. Photo: Damien Eagers / Evening HeraldA Garda the corner house in Lucan where a man was shot dead yesterday. Photo: Damien Eagers / Evening Herald13-Feb-2014_No.25 Abbywood Court Lucan, Co.Dublin.
Collins Photo: Michael Donnelly.

A father of four has been shot dead in front of his wife and children in Dublin’s latest gang attack.

The shooting happened in a house at Abbeywood Court in Lucan shortly before 10.30pm last night.

The victim was named locally as 46-year-old James Talbot, who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing, and in boxing as a younger man.

A group of men called to Talbot's home and smashed the front door as they burst into the house, confronting him and then shooting him a number of times.

James Talbot was shot several times in the chest in the hallway of his home after answering a knock at the door.

The weapon used was a handgun, which was later found in the burnt out 05 D 15878 Toyota Avensis car which had been stolen on January 31 in the Coolock area.

Gardai are anxious to find out where this car has been for the past two weeks, and are appealing for anyone with any information on the beige/gold car to come forward.

Talbot's wife and four children, who range in age from their early 20s, were in the house when the shooting occured, gardai confirmed at a press conference in Lucan garda station.

They also confirmed that Talbot was alive when they reached the house, and that gardai carried out CPR on him until paramedics arrived.

The gunman was described as being around 5'10" tall and was wearing a grey hoodie.

The getaway car was not driven from the estate at speed, and dumped in a cul de sac on the nearby Earlsfort road a shirt time later.

Talbot was not believed to have been in regular employment in recent times.

Neighbours who heard the shots raised the alarm and an ambulance and gardai were quickly on the scene.

Mr Talbot was rushed to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstwon after the gun attack but was later pronounced dead.

Mr Talbot is known to gardai for a previous drugs conviction dating back to 1998 for which he received a seven year sentence, but he has not come to garda attention in any high-profile way in recent years.

It is understood that he studied law at university.

The scene has been preserved pending a forensic examination by members of the garda technical bureau.

Broken glass and wrapping from medical equipment could be seen strewn around the front door of the corner house in the quiet Lucan cul de sac.

Neighbours reported hearing several shots being fired.

The office of the State Pathologist has also been notified

A car believed to be the getaway vehicle was discovered in the adjoining Earlsfort estate shortly after the shooting.

Gardai are treating the case as murder, and are appealing for anyone who may have may have seen the car, or it being parked, to contact the Gardai in Lucan on 01 6667300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.